A ‘DANGEROUS paedophile’ who blackmailed a 13-year-old girl into sending him indecent videos has been jailed.
Michael Quinn, who police said “poses a serious risk to children and young people”, has been jailed for four years and six months.
Quinn’s crimes came to light after he later began communicating with an undercover police officer he believed was a teenage girl.
Alias
Quinn, 35, of Burradon, North Tyneside, posed as a 17-year-old called Jonjo while on social media to find young girls to prey on.
He was arrested on March 14 after communicating with an undercover officer he believed was a 13-year-old schoolgirl.
During their communication, he sent indecent images and videos and repeatedly asked the person he believed was a young girl to carry out sexual acts on camera.
A search of Quinn’s devices showed his alias had also been used to deceive and blackmail a teenage girl in America.
Blackmail
Evidence showed how he had forced her into sending indecent videos, threatening to share the content with her dad if she didn’t continue to cooperate.
Investigators from the Northumbria Police's Victim Identification Team tracked down the teen with the help of American law enforcement.
Quinn was subsequently charged and later admitted attempting to engage in sexual communication with a child, attempting to incite a child to engage in sexual activity, attempting to cause a child to watch a sexual act, blackmail and making indecent photos of a child
‘Relentless abuse’
Detective Sergeant Rob Smoult from Northumbria Police’s Paedophile Online Investigation Team (POLIT) praised the bravery of Quinn’s young victim.
“Michael Quinn is a dangerous paedophile who poses a serious risk to children and young people,” he said.
“Despite being thousands of miles away from one of his victims and communicating remotely, he was able to cause significant harm and real psychological damage with his relentless abuse.
“We have a detailed record of his offending thanks to the bravery of his 13-year-old victim, who was able to find the strength to give us a full account of what had happened, as well as his interactions with a police officer, who he also believed was 13.
"We were able to put a thorough and undisputed case before the courts, leaving Quinn no choice but to plead guilty.”
